We took laps. I admitted that I felt like I was running through mud. I was nervous about this impromptu blind date that Beck set up for me. Maybe he planned this the whole time, maybe Izzy was pretending. Mort could do anything. He thrived in spontaenity. My watch beeped. I was 30 minutes from getting home. I had to beg Mort to hurry up and I hopes that I was so occupied by my work that this date wouldn't go to plan so I could forget it and about everything else. Mort looked so happy that I felt guilty about it. It seemed to take his mind off whatever he was going through back at home."You're coming to my place, are you not?" Amir said in the back seat spraying his hair. I coughed flapping the spray away. I forgot that I had to take care of the kids. I was sure that Mrs Aquila had updated my dad again about it again. "Oh man." I whispered. "You better be prepared." He cackled. "They bite." I was sure he was just messing with me. I had a task today to finish my obstacle course and

'Oh my god.' I hid behind the menu card. She sat up. "It's Gwendolyn Sharp in the mean time. Is this some sort of set up that I wasn't aware of?" "I didn't know about you either.""I suppose the random haircut done was a coincidence."I turned red. "It wasn't, I had this days ago. He thought I'd be surprised and I'm guessing he knew I'd flunk out." I said and she made a face at that. "It means leave...I would never go out with you!""Well, I couldn't agree more!" She bit back. "I concur that there are better options." I pretended like that didn't hurt. "Mort was stalling, he only mentioned your first name."She turned red. "You picked that name if I do remember correctly when you introduced me to Gilles?""What?" "Kendra. The nanites are failing on your memory as well, aren't they?""I picked a random name on the fly. How was I supposed to remember?"We sat in awkward silence. "You didn't pick my mom's name, why?""I do it out of respect for the dead and finding a name with stres

"Why were you taking my side?""I'm having mixed reactions about your motives. I want you to be nailed as Kendra puts it but I also want you to save Earth."I was kind of grateful to her for having my back. I suppressed a smile. "Says the girl who blew up government property to put the Klozars to sleep.""Oh please. I couldn't be bothered_""Kids." We hurried to his monitor and I lowered myself to his chair to check on the drones. They were shooting at people and that was enough reason for me to go. "Oogie_I mean Gwen, will you handle them?" "Of course." She grabbed a revolver."I'm right behind you." I said. "No. Stay back." I glared at Gwen who was grinning evilly at me. "That's not fair.""Don't worry Zack, I'll make sure I don't have too much fun." She stayed at the doorframe swinging the heart's key on her finger. I fumed when she left."You have to be where your family is at... right now." He said sternly. I was full of dread. I propped my hand on my chin. He said the best

They frowned at me. "Zed?" "That was out of line, sorry." I said."You bumbling baboon." "It's buffoon.""I know that." I brushed dust off my hair and they stepped out murmuring while I set Beck's easel down. More points for messing up again. I did a double take on the canvas. He had a painting of my mom, she was in a white toga, her shiny blond hair drifted, with her hand was on her shoulder, her eyes closed with a slightly dreamy, sad expression, the rest of her body was going up in smoke in the wind, her arm were bones. Her body seemed like they would be consumed in the flames like candlelight. I sighed and put it back to the other canvases. The reason I wouldn't run into danger unless I was prepared....Gwen's POV When I was 8, I had a bright childhood, I wanted to enlist in the military. My parents were Mayne and Arwatt Joowke. I know my name sounds ridiculous. They were accountants. I didn't think about my powers or what they would turn out to be. Didn't have many frien

He was still cleaning up what was supposed to be a depot for his car. I brushed my arm because I was about to execute something I may regret for the rest of my life but it was worth a shot. He stepped outside and I brushed my hair and my face turned red. "Zack, I have something to say to you." His blond hair was filthy from grazing the ceiling too much. I moved closer with a clogged throat. He quirked an eyebrow, he looked like one of those models posing dramatically on cars that Kendra showed me in her magazines. I wondered what those were about but I seemed to looking at one. "Not to sound rude but what are you still doing here?" He said mildly clapping dust off his hands.I brushed my hair. "About last night...I want to say, I'm sorry, I should have been a lot more precise in communicating before I set my staff to detonate." He looked at me as if I had dropped another staff attack. Blood rushed into my ears and he twisted his foot on the floor. I speculated about my comrade and s,